"There is no major retail development in Pflugerville," Jim Garza, a manager with Las Vegas-based American City Neighborhood Development, tells GlobeSt.com about yesterday's closing. "You have your averages of retail and office space that typically follow residential development, but the margins in Pflugerville tell us that retail has not kept up with residential construction."

That means there is no major store like a Beall's or a Weiners, no major arts-and-crafts store like a Michaels and no major athletic club, Garza says. The area also has yet to snag a family fun center or a national restaurant. And it could use a second grocery store chain, given the number of rooftops rising in the area, Garza says.

The developer hopes to break ground on Pfluger Town Center by first quarter 2002, with the intention of rolling out three phases in back-to-back annual projects. That rate could be faster with demand, Garza says. The proposed tally on the site is 214,000 sf of retail space and 162,000 sf of office space.